Former President Peter Mutharika has come under fire for expressing ignorance on the infamous importation of 1.2 million bags of cement from Zambia and Zimbabwe.
It was reported that Mutharika used his presidential previledge of importing goods duty free to bring into the country cement worth K5 billion. However, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) distanced himself from the deal on Friday.
Analysts doubt Mutharika’s position on the matter. They argue that it is not possible for any deal that involves his name to materialise without his knowledge.
Commentator Idriss Ali Nassah believes that the ex-president could have done things better but he chose to ignore other important issues.
“At some point some of us were beginning to sound like a broken record, but we did not tire to remind that Peter Mutharika was too told, too tired, too disconnected and too disinterested to be an effective president of the country. It didn’t help that he is a drunk, who loved whiskey more than he cared for the job he was elected to do. Now, do not for a moment believe that he did not know,” said Nassah in a post
Another social commentator mentioned that the fact APM was aware of the K145m donated to a DPP account which he is the sole signatory and defended the kickback shows that he is not honest with hia recent claims.
“This is a person who received and defended kickbacks in cash and kind such as vehicles. His office also defended this cement saga when it first emerged. Mutharika can not fool us now” said the commentator.
The former president’s aide Norman Chisale was arrested last week in connection to importation of the cement. He is alleged to have connived with businessman Mahmed Shafee Ahmed Chunara of Prestige Import and Export to bring the said capacity of cement into the country.
Chunara was also arrested on the same grounds. The two were granted bail on that charge.
The change of the regime in Malawi has read to a number of big name arrests. High profile people are getting arrested day in day out for their alleged roles in different corrupt acts.
